塞内加尔(Senegal)
正式名称塞内加尔共和国（Republic of Senegal）
非洲西部的国家，面积196,722平方公里。人口10,285,000（2001）。首都︰达卡。塞内加尔有七个主要族群，其中包括沃洛夫人、塞雷尔人、富拉尼人和马林克人，族群各自讲不同的语言，还有其他若干较小的部族。语言︰法语（官方语）。宗教︰伊斯兰教（超过人口的90%）。货币︰非洲金融共同体法郎（CFAF）。气候变化很大，从乾燥沙漠气候到湿润热带气候。森林占土地总面积的31%。可耕地约占27%；约有30%土地可作为草场或牧场。农业为主要的产业，花生是最重要的经济和出口作物。其他产业包括渔业、采矿、制造业和旅游业。塞内加尔有丰富的磷酸盐和铁矿储量。政府形式为共和国，一院制。国家元首为总统，政府首脑为总理。
西元10世纪，塞内加尔与北非各部族之间建立起联系；11世纪伊斯兰教传入，然而泛灵论在塞内加尔各地一直流行到19世纪。1445年，葡萄牙人登上塞内加尔沿岸探险。1638年法国人在塞内加尔河河口建立贸易站。在整个17和18世纪期间，欧洲人从塞内加尔境内运走大批奴隶、象牙和黄金。19世纪初期，法国控制海岸地区，并向内陆扩张，阻止图库洛尔帝国（参阅Tukulor）的发展。1895年塞内加尔成为法属西非的一部分。1946年塞内加尔全体居民都成为法国公民；并成为法国的一个海外领地。1958年，塞内加尔成为一个自治共和国；1959～1960年与马利结成联邦。1960年，被承认为独立国家。1982年与甘比亚成立邦联，称作塞内甘比亚。该邦联於1989年解散。近几年来，境内的暴动引起政治混乱。
English version：
Senegal
Nation, western Africa. Area: 75,955 sq mi (196,722 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 9,404,000. Capital: Dakar. There are seven major ethnic groups in Senegal, including the Wolof, Serer, Fulani, and Malinke, each speaking a separate language, and a number of smaller groups. Language: French (official). Religion: Islam (more than 90% of the population). Currency: CFA franc. The climate varies from dry desert to moist tropics. Forests cover about 31% of the total area, about 27% is arable, and approximately 30% is pasture or rangeland. Agriculture is the main industry; peanuts are the most important cash and export crop. Other important industries are fishing, mining, manufacturing, and tourism. Senegal has large reserves of phosphates and iron ore. It is a republic with one legislative house; its chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Links between the peoples of Senegal and North Africa were established in the 10th century AD. Islam was introduced in the 11th century, although animism retained a hold on the country into the 19th century. The Portuguese explored the coast in 1445, and in 1638 the French established a trading post at the mouth of the Senegal River. Throughout the 17th-18th century, Europeans exported slaves, ivory, and gold from Senegal. The French gained control over the coast in the early 19th century, and moved inland, checking the expansion of the Tukulor empire; in 1895 Senegal became part of French West Africa. Its inhabitants were made French citizens in 1946, and it became an overseas territory of France. It became an autonomous republic in 1958 and was federated with Mali 1959-60. It became an independent state in 1960. In 1982 it entered a confederation with Gambia, called Senegambia, which was dissolved in 1989. In recent years uprisings in part of the country caused political disorder.